The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 58
Jing Wang finished assigning the attendants and walked over.
With the remaining men providing cover, they could enter the narrow mountain path within half an hour. He no longer needed to lead anyone himself; all the horses and men would stay behind with Xie Shao.
Seeing him approach, Xie Shao released the young lady. There was no time to say much, just a few brief words, which she surely understood. He cupped his hands toward Jing Wang and said, “I entrust my wife to your care, Your Highness.”
Jing Wang nodded. He mounted his horse first, then bent down and extended his hand to Wen Shuse. “Miss Wen, quickly.”
At the earlier words, Third Madam Xie, Wen Shuse had already lost any room to resist. In a daze, she turned, grasped Jing Wang’s hand, stepped onto the stirrup, and swung herself onto the horse.
Jing Wang tightened the reins, then looked back and instructed the young man standing beside the horse, “Third Young Master Xie, take care. You must return to the Eastern Capital alive, otherwise, I will have no way to answer to your father.”
Along the way, Jing Wang had personally witnessed his intelligence and resourcefulness. He believed Xie Shao would find a way to escape.
“Wangye may rest assured.”
The horse’s head turned, and the young lady seated behind glanced back.
Firelight reddened the young man’s face behind them. The thunder of hooves rolled forward like a mountain-shaking wave, as if tonight would drown him upon this very land.
His figure grew smaller and smaller, as though he had been abandoned there by the world itself. The night wind stung the eyes, and her chest suddenly felt hollow, an emptiness so deep it stirred a quiet, creeping dread.
—
Once the young lady had left, Xie Shao no longer had any reservations. He turned and gathered his men, hiding them behind the carriage as they waited for the pursuing soldiers to approach.
Moments later, a dark mass of horses surged forward again, and a troop of more than a hundred soldiers came into view.
“Whoa—!” The chaotic thunder of hooves gradually came to a halt. The soldiers’ torches were lowered, their flames casting light from above and revealing the figures behind the carriage with perfect clarity.
The man at the forefront sat atop his horse, sweeping his gaze across the scene before fixing his eyes on the shadows concealed behind the carriage. A faint smile curved his lips. “Wangye has come to Dongzhou so suddenly. May I ask what business brings him here? However, His Highness the Crown Prince is most hospitable. He has specially ordered this humble servant to come and escort Wangye to the Dongzhou residence for a visit.”
Once he finished speaking, he raised his hand in a signal. The soldiers beneath him immediately advanced, surrounding the several carriages.
Hearing that familiar voice, Pei Qing, hidden behind the carriage, showed a hint of surprise. The Crown Prince had been demoted, and yet this man had still been sent to Dongzhou.
All the better. Tonight, they would settle matters to the death, sparing them from worrying about each other again in the future.
His hand moved toward the saber at his waist, but before he could act, Xie Shao suddenly kicked him squarely in the backside, sending him tumbling out from behind the carriage.
Pei Qing: …
Seeing the figure that abruptly appeared in the torchlight, the man at the front had not even had time to rejoice before his expression stiffened.
Xie Shao followed, stepping out. Looking up at the man on horseback, he smiled and greeted him casually, “Lord Pei, we meet again.”
The newcomer was none other than Pei Yuanqiu.
Earlier at the city gate, after intercepting the vegetable farmer and the cook, Pei Yuanqiu had immediately sensed something was wrong. It did not take long before his suspicions fell upon that group of Luo’an soldiers who had just entered the city.
Given the intelligence of Jing Wang and the Third Young Master Xie, they would never walk straight into death by leaving through the main gate.
If not the main gate, then the mountain road.
The Crown Prince had already laid out a net as vast as heaven and earth, no bird could hope to fly past his Nancheng. It was not only Pei Yuanqiu’s troop in pursuit; soldiers had been dispatched along every road leading into the mountains. His luck had been good to intercept someone here, yet he had never expected that his own son would be among them.
In the past, he had known that his son associated closely with Shizi Zhou and Third Young Master Xie. But he had dismissed them as a group of idle young men of similar temperament, gathering only to eat, drink, and amuse themselves, hardly worth concern. Remembering the guilt he felt from earlier years, he had allowed the boy his freedom, letting him do as he pleased so long as it made him happy.
He had never imagined the boy would prove this foolish.
The political situation at court was now extremely tense. Jing Wang Mansion had already drawn disaster upon itself. More than once, he had warned his son, urging him to leave Fengcheng. He had even sent people there to escort him personally. If the young man had possessed even a little sense, he would have come early to the Eastern Capital.
But he had not.
Instead, he had continued to mix with this group.
Pei Yuanqiu stared at his foolish son, his expression dark. Only when Xie Shao stepped out did he shift his gaze. His eyes turned cold, devoid of the cordial politeness he had shown the last time they met. “Third Young Master, what a pity. Since our last parting, things have indeed changed.”
Xie Shao smiled lightly. “Lord Pei, I’m afraid this junior does not quite understand your meaning. I’ve only just arrived in Nancheng. It’s rare to meet a fellow townsman here. If Lord Pei is willing to honor me, I happen to have time now to share a couple of drinks.”
Pei Yuanqiu gave a cold snort, having no patience for verbal sparring. His gaze swept past the two men, searching behind them.
Xie Shao knew exactly whom he was looking for. “If Lord Pei is searching for Wangye, then I’m afraid you’re looking in the wrong direction.” He glanced up at the dark moon in the sky. “By now, Wangye should be close to leaving the city.”
Pei Yuanqiu’s expression shifted slightly, though he quickly regained his composure and said with a laugh, “Then it seems this old man is simply ignorant. I did not know Jing Wang possessed the ability to fly through the heavens or vanish into the earth.”
Xie Shao was equally unwilling to yield and replied with a hint of mockery, “Even through seas of fire and mountains of blades, haven’t we still managed to reach the Nancheng?”
A chill entered Pei Yuanqiu’s eyes. Dividing their forces into two routes was indeed not a bad strategy, but tonight, with Third Young Master Xie fallen into his hands, it was still a considerable gain.
He turned to the man beside him and said, “Young Master Xie wishes to drink tea with this old man. Why haven’t you invited him yet?”
The moment his words fell, the surrounding soldiers surged forward. Pei Qing immediately raised the saber at his waist across his chest, shielding Xie Shao behind him.
“Brother Xie, go!”
He knew better than anyone what Pei Yuanqiu valued most now, none other than his only remaining descendant, wasn’t it?
How utterly ironic.
Pei Yuanqiu’s expression darkened instantly. “Pei Qing, come here!”
Pei Qing turned his head to look at the imposing official seated high upon the horse and showed him not the slightest courtesy.
“Lord Pei aids tyranny, aren’t you afraid of retribution?”
Pei Yuanqiu gave a cold snort. “I would very much like to know what kind of retribution you wish upon me.”
“May your line end with you.”
The veins at Pei Yuanqiu’s temples throbbed twice. He was so furious his chest tightened, leaving him speechless for a long moment. The patrol officer beside him, waiting for orders, urged quietly, “Lord Pei.”
At last, Pei Yuanqiu gritted his teeth. “Seize them.”
Pei Qing swung his blade, knocking aside the spear thrust toward him, and urgently called to the man beside him, “Brother Xie, go first. He won’t dare do anything to me.”
The Crown Prince had clearly ordered them to kill without mercy, the soldiers sent were all seasoned fighters. Xie Shao dodged a sword strike aimed at his head, his curved blade flashing as it slashed across the attacker’s wrist, splitting the skin. Taking the chance, he retreated two steps until his back pressed against Pei Qing’s.
“Not necessarily,” Xie Shao said quietly. “Pei Yuanqiu may not have the final say.”
Pei Qing knew that well enough. If he truly wanted to die, no one could save him, not even Pei Yuanqiu.
But encountering Pei Yuanqiu tonight was already the greatest stroke of luck. Pei Qing cut the shaft of another spear in two and kicked away a soldier charging toward them.
“If one of us survives, that’s better than both of us dying here.”
Xie Shao had not expected their pursuer to be Pei Yuanqiu either. After quickly sweeping his gaze across the terrain, he said in a low voice, “Fall back to the left toward the cliff.”
With Pei Qing present, Pei Yuanqiu would not dare order the archers to fire. As long as the enemy did not strike to kill outright, they still had a chance to survive.
Pei Qing understood at once and shifted his attacks to the left, cooperating with the retreat.
Two idle young nobles with only mediocre martial skills, no matter how capable they might be, could hardly withstand more than a hundred seasoned soldiers. It was like eggs striking stone; sooner or later, they would die here.
On horseback, Pei Yuanqiu stared fixedly at Pei Qing. His heart hung in suspense, rising and falling with every upward thrust and downward swing of the soldiers’ spears and swords. It was sheer torment to watch.
Anger and resentment churned inside him. If only that Wang woman had been able to produce another heir for the Pei family, he would never have had to pin his hopes on such a fool.
The encircling ring tightened smaller and smaller until the few of them were forced together in one spot.
Xie Shao continued retreating toward the left. Seeing through his intention, the Jing Wang Mansion guards and Minzhang followed his lead, launching their attacks toward that same direction.
Minzhang held a saber in one hand to defend his flank while grabbing a soldier’s spear with the other, forcing the man backward with all his strength. Beside him, a guard struck the soldier’s sword with his blade. The edge chipped from the impact, yet he did not release his grip. With a fierce roar, he drove the blade downward along the length of the sword, grinding metal against metal and sending a spray of sparks into the air.
Those who followed Jing Wang into life and death were no ordinary men. Each of them remembered the command Jing Wang had given before leaving: they must protect Young Master Xie’s life at all costs.
Seizing the moment, one guard crouched low while another suddenly leapt up, stepping onto his shoulder before hurling himself bodily toward the soldiers behind them. The outer soldiers were caught unprepared and were knocked backward in a heap. At last, a gap tore open in the tightening circle.
The guard pinned the soldier beneath him with all his strength and turned his head, roaring hoarsely, “Young Master Xie, go!”
If they hesitated even slightly, the soldiers would recover and close the gap again. Xie Shao dared not delay. Raising his blade, he charged out together with Pei Qing and Minzhang.
How could the fat duck already in their mouths possibly escape right before their eyes? The patrol officer roared in fury, “Draw the bows!”
Once the bows were drawn, would there be any survivors left?
Pei Yuanqiu’s eyelids twitched. He immediately called out to stop them. “Hold! Take them alive.”
Blocked by Lord Pei’s command, the archers hesitated for a brief moment. By the time they steadied themselves, the men ahead had already slipped into the forest. The best opportunity had been lost. Furious, the patrol officer spurred his horse forward and personally led the pursuit.
—
With Xie Shao remaining behind to hold them off, Jing Wang’s horse galloped unimpeded toward the mountain ridge leading to the Eastern Capital.
At first, when Wen Shuse turned back, she could still see the glow of the flames. Later, even the firelight disappeared. Only the sounds of clashing blades and spears drifted through the night. Though the men themselves were no longer in sight, she could still feel with terrifying clarity that desperate pressure of being driven into a dead end.
She did not dare imagine the situation he was in.
She had never been so frightened before.
When her mother died years ago, she had not understood what it meant that life could not return once lost. She had thought her mother had merely gone far away to seek treatment and would one day come back.
By the time she understood that her mother would never return, she had already endured the worst of the grief. She had never truly tasted the pain of gradually losing someone.
But now she felt it with every fiber of her being. The young man who had been sitting beside her in the carriage only moments ago, laughing and talking, was now slipping farther and farther away from her.
Just like her mother, perhaps he would never again appear before her for the rest of her life.
She remembered their wedding night, the shock in his eyes when he first saw her, and how he had angrily threatened to carry her straight back to the Wen family. Yet the very next day, he had given up his own room for her.
She had squandered what little household wealth he had left, leaving him so angry he nearly toppled backward, yet he had never taken his anger out on her. Even when he himself went hungry, he still bought her sweet-and-sour pork.
One moment, he would scold her for being a spendthrift, the next, he would hand over his entire salary to her, saying, “Young lady, try to spend a bit more carefully.”
She remembered the first time he held her hand, teasing her with a half-serious tone by saying, “I think the young lady is quite remarkable… From now on, I’m afraid the young lady will have to endure hardship with me, sharing both sweetness and suffering…”
He had not been speaking nonsense.
He had carried her across half a mountain on his back. In times of danger, he held her hand and kept her walking beside him. When she was exhausted, he gave her a shoulder to lean on.
That gentle “young lady,” spoken again and again, had long since engraved itself in her mind without her noticing.
Once she left like this, perhaps for the rest of her life she would never hear that voice calling her “young lady” again.
The farther the horse traveled, the more uneasy her heart became. She could not help turning back once more. The mountain they had left was already far behind, though the ridges of the two ranges still connected, allowing her to glimpse it in the distance.
Then suddenly she saw thick plumes of smoke rising from the valley.
Her heart dropped sharply. Her hands and feet turned cold as she cried out with a trembling voice, “Your Highness!”
Hearing her call, Jing Wang glanced sideways and saw it as well. His expression tightened, and the horse beneath him gradually slowed.
He had never expected the Crown Prince to be so ruthless as to set fire to the mountain itself.
His heart began pounding violently, impossible to calm. What would it matter even if they reached the Eastern Capital now? If her husband died there tonight, how could she ever find peace for the rest of her life?
While scolding her as a spendthrift, he would still place all of his salary into her hands. “Little lady, try to spend a bit more carefully.”
She remembered the first time he held her hand, teasing her with a half-serious warning: “I think the little lady is quite wonderful… From now on, I’m afraid the little lady will have to endure hardship with me—sharing both sweetness and suffering.”
He had not been speaking nonsense.
He had carried her across half a mountain on his back. When danger came, he held her hand and kept her walking beside him. When she was exhausted, he gave her a shoulder to lean on.
That gentle “little lady,” spoken again and again, had long since engraved itself in her mind without her noticing.
Once she left like this, perhaps for the rest of her life she would never hear that voice calling her “little lady” again.
The farther the horse traveled, the more uneasy her heart became. She could not help turning back once more. The mountain they had left was already far behind, though the ridges of the two ranges still connected, allowing her to glimpse it in the distance.
Then suddenly she saw thick plumes of smoke rising from the valley.
Her heart dropped sharply. Her hands and feet turned cold as she cried out with a trembling voice, “Your Highness!”
Hearing her call, Prince Jing glanced sideways and saw it as well. His expression tightened, and the horse beneath him gradually slowed.
He had never expected the Crown Prince to be so ruthless as to set fire to the mountain itself.
His heart began pounding violently, impossible to calm. What would it matter even if they reached the Eastern Capital now? If her husband died there tonight, how could she ever find peace for the rest of her life?
She had always been someone who could not keep worries in her heart for long. How could she willingly spend the rest of her life living in torment and pain?
The innocence of the Xie family, heaven above, would surely render justice one day.
She could not think so far ahead. All she knew was that right now her husband might die, and she could not abandon him. Even if she had only her own strength, she had to go back and try.
Once that thought arose, the weight in her heart suddenly eased.
She could go no farther forward. Slipping down from the horse, she climbed off and fell to the ground. Ignoring her disheveled state, she scrambled to her feet and looked up at Jing Wang on horseback.
“Your Highness,” she said, her voice trembling, “I beg to permit me to return.”
Once a mountain fire began, the chances of survival would grow even smaller. Jing Wang himself was torn, but returning now would only mean one more life lost.
The only solution was to reach the Emperor as soon as possible.
“Miss Wen, come back up,” Jing Wang urged. “I promised Young Master Xie that I would take you safely to the Eastern Capital…”
But Wen Shuse had already made up her mind. She shook her head and knelt.
“I beg Your Highness to grant this request. My husband and I made a vow to share both sweetness and hardship together in this life. I cannot break that promise.”
Jing Wang paused, momentarily stunned. Looking at the pale-faced young woman kneeling before him, he suddenly remembered a scene from his youth with Madam Zhou.
He could understand her feelings.
In the end, he did not force her. Instead, he gave a stern warning, “Follow the mountain path downward. Be careful along the way. Avoid the flames and do not confront the pursuing soldiers directly. If you come upon the aftermath of a battle, do not rush to search for him. Be wary of falling into their trap. Young Master Xie is always resourceful. I believe he will find a way to escape for the time being. The Crown Prince’s men will not recognize you. Once you reach the foot of the mountain, do not linger. Leave the city immediately and find our undercover agents to bring help.”
Wen Shuse nodded. “I will remember. Thank you, Your Highness.”
She rose and untied the bundle from her shoulder, lifting it up and handing it to Jing Wang.
“Please keep this for me for the time being. If I return, I will certainly come to ask Your Highness for it. If I do not return… I beg Your Highness to deliver it to my father, Wen Zhongjing.”
“Very well. Take care, Miss Wen.”
—
It had taken only two sticks of incense for the horse to run this far, yet going back on foot would take more than half an hour.
The sky remained pitch-black, the moon faint and thin. Wen Shuse ran swiftly down the forest path. The forest was filled with the constant chirping of insects, and the darkness easily stirred a sense of the unknown.
But she had been able to catch chickens with her bare hands at the age of three and climb rooftops to pull tiles loose by the age of ten. She was no ordinary, delicate young lady.
She was not afraid at all.
When a branch caught her foot and tripped her, she simply let herself slide down along the slope.
As she neared the valley, droplets of rain suddenly began falling from the trees overhead. The smell of thick smoke grew stronger in her nose, and she could faintly see the glow of fire ahead.
Tearing off a piece of her wide sleeve with her teeth, she soaked it with rainwater and covered her mouth and nose. Then she used vines to tie the sleeve tightly in place. Avoiding the brighter areas lit by firelight, she continued moving forward through the forest, circling around the flames.
The rain grew heavier and heavier. Soon, the forest echoed with the rumbling sound of the downpour.
The fire atop the mountain seemed to have been extinguished. When she could no longer smell even a trace of smoke, Wen Shuse made her way back toward the original mountain path. She did not dare take the main road, instead slipping into the brush beside it and crawling forward cautiously.
The rain was too heavy, and the night too dark. She did not know where she had reached, nor how long she had been moving. Suddenly, a voice cut through the rain and mist from somewhere ahead.
“Search for them! If you can’t find them, none of you will live!”
Her heart leapt violently. Wen Shuse held her breath and lay perfectly still where she was.
After a long while, when no further sound came, she slowly raised her head. It was too dark to see anything until a flash of lightning split the sky above, revealing the merchant carriages across the way. One had been split apart, and another had overturned onto its side.
Bodies lay scattered across the ground. The lightning vanished too quickly for her to see who they were. Realizing she had returned to the place where she and Xie Shao had parted, panic and fear surged over her uncontrollably.
Burying her face in her hands, she pressed them tightly over her mouth, took several deep breaths, and closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down.
Since there were still men searching the mountain, Xie Shao must still be alive.
Silently, she repeated Jing Wang’s instructions in her mind: Go down the mountain. Leave the city. Find help…
Slowly, she backed away from the slope. She had no idea where the road was, so she crawled out along the far side of the mountain. By the time she entered the city again, the sky had already begun to pale with the first light of dawn.
Because of the rain, the shops along the streets had not yet opened, and only a few pedestrians could be seen.
The downpour had already washed the yellow dust from her face. Her clothes clung tightly to her body, revealing her delicate figure.
Jing Wang was right, no one in this city recognized her. As long as she disguised herself as an ordinary commoner and remained calm, she could leave the city without trouble.
But the appearance of a young lady would draw attention. She slipped into a narrow alley, wrung the water from her clothes, and tied her hair up again. Then she tore more fabric from her sleeve and wrapped it tightly around her chest several times before stepping out of the alley.
She had barely walked a few steps when several armored soldiers approached from the opposite direction.
Wen Shuse did not try to avoid them. Instead, she shifted slightly to the side to give way, lowering her head just a little, her expression composed and unremarkable.
Nancheng was close to the Eastern Capital and was heavily populated. Even at night, it was not unusual to see people passing along the streets, and now that dawn was breaking, quite a few vegetable farmers and townsfolk were already about.
The soldiers beside her did not spare her a glance.
They had already passed her when she suddenly heard one of them say, “Supervisor Wei has truly made a great contribution this time…”
“All I did was run a few steps. What merit is there in that?”
For some reason, the voice sounded strangely familiar. Wen Shuse froze for a moment, then quickly turned around.